Skin lymphoma: causes, types, treatment

Skin lymphoma – These are neoplasms that develop from lymphatic tissues. The disease can be benign, but malignant tumors on the skin are more common.

In any case, the disease requires the intervention of a doctor, but the patient must also be as aware of the problem as possible. Indeed, many, having noticed the manifestations of the disease on the skin, do not attach due importance to them, writing off the neoplasm for an allergic reaction.

The editors of estet-portal.com will provide complete information about the disease, so that you know the causes of the disease, its varieties, methods of diagnosis and treatment.

1. What factors provoke the development of skin lymphoma
2. The main types of skin lymphoma:
  • T-cell malignant lymphoma
  x B-cell malignant lymphoma
3. How to diagnose skin lymphoma and not mix it up
4. What is the treatment for cutaneous lymphoma

What factors provoke the development of skin lymphoma

Theories of the development of the disease are multifaceted, but today the theory of clonal development is the most acceptable. This concept implies that a lymphocytic malignant clone grows under the influence of external or internal factors.

Provoking factors are:

• heredity;

• infectious diseases (herpesvirus type 6, Epstein-Barr virus, infectious mononucleosis, etc.);

• the influence of chemicals and toxins that disrupt the functioning of the immune system;

• excessive exposure to ultraviolet and ionizing rays; • various kinds of dermatoses that are chronic.

Main types of skin lymphoma

The classification of the disease suggests

two types of diseases:

T-cell malignant lymphoma.

It is called mycosis fungoides. With this type of disease, not only the skin is affected, the lymph nodes and internal organs suffer.

Symptoms of T-cell lymphoma:

• the appearance of nodular, spotty formations on the body, outwardly resembling dermatitis or eczema;

• shade of rash from pink to brown;

• a scaly crust is noticeable on the formations;

• the affected areas itch.

Later, denser lesions of varying sizes may appear. They merge with each other and form plaques that have a red or cyanotic color. Men are twice as likely to develop T-cell lymphoma than women.

Read

also: Clinical Case of Difficult Diagnosis of T-Cell Lymphoma BLOCKCODE If we turn to age-related features, then in 75% of cases, mycosis fungoides overtakes at 50-60 years old, but in children 1%.

B-cell malignant lymphoma

Has a wide variety of manifestations.

Symptoms are as follows:

• there are plaques ranging in size from 5 to 15 cm, which coalesce and increase;

• the color of the formations ranges from pink-blue to red-bluish;

• the disease progresses actively;

• there is a general weakness;

• weight loss;

• skin itches at an increasing rate;

• purple-red nodes appear, the size of which is about 8 cm, the nodes increase intensively.

In addition to external manifestations, this type of lymphoma leads to an increase in lymph nodes, as well as organs such as the liver and spleen.

How to Diagnose Skin Lymphoma and Avoid Confusion It is quite difficult to diagnose a disease in the early stages of its development. This is due to the similarity of lymphoma with other skin diseases of the skin, which have similar symptoms.

Diagnosis consists in identifying clinical symptoms:

• a rash that varies in size and color; • the presence of progression and attenuation of different elements of the rash at the same time;

• intense itching;

• localization of the rash to areas that are hidden from the sun by clothing.

Specialists prescribe a histological examination to examine the cells of the dermis. When lymphocytic accumulations are found inside the skin, swelling of the papillary layer of the dermis or other phenomena, then it is worth talking about the diagnosis of lymphoma.

Clinical signs in the early stages of the disease are similar to other inflammatory skin diseases. These can

be

skin blisters, rosacea, dermatitis acneiformes. It often takes a couple of years for a correct diagnosis to be made.

If we are talking about an early stage of the disease, then the therapy is:

• in the appointment of vitamin complexes; • in the intake of enterosorbents and immunomodulating agents;

• in the use of anti-inflammatory ointments and creams and other medical individual recommendations.

When the pathology progresses or has severe symptoms, then the therapy is added:

• radiotherapy;

• administration of enteral and topical glucocorticosteroids;

• total skin irradiation, etc.

The late stage, like other cancers, is treated by chemotherapy, electron beam exposure, etc.

Thus,

skin lymphoma

– this is a serious disease, the danger of which lies in the difficulty of diagnosing in the early stages.

Timely contacting a doctor in the presence of the first signs can lead to a complete recovery. Therefore, if you notice an itchy rash, do not rush to take antiallergic drugs yourself. Diagnosis should be made by a specialist and let him confirm that your usual rash is caused by a new washing powder. So you will be calm and confident in the health of your skin.

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